Irish Consulate unveil plaque honoring five Irish J1 students who died in Berkeley

A plaque has been erected in memory of the five young adults who lost their lives in a tragic balcony collapse.

The plaque was unveiled at a memorial event yesterday organized by the Consulate General of Ireland to the Western United States and the Irish immigration pastoral Center, alongside the city of Berkeley.

Honoured to be part of plaque unveiling for the Berkeley balcony collapse victims. The continued solidarity of this community is inspiring pic.twitter.com/ew0vkXDVEJ

The tribute honors the five Irish college students, Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Lorcan Miller, Niccolai Schuster and Eimear Walsh, and their Irish-American friend Ashley Donohoe all died on June 16th 2015.

Amb @DanMulhall:”The Berkeley balcony collapse of June 2015 was a terrible tragedy and one which had an enormous effect on Ireland. The depth of grief, shock and sorrow was immense – six young lives so tragically and prematurely ended and serious injury inflicted on so many.” 1/2 pic.twitter.com/LBvXngomlV

The students were killed when a balcony they were on collapsed. The group were celebrating a 21st birthday party while on their J-1 summer exchange in California.

The district attorney of Alameda County launched a criminal probe into the incident.

Last year, a settlement was reached in connection with the incident with "design defects and construction flaws" paramount to the balcony collapse.

Mayor of Berkeley Jesse Arreguin stated at the time, “The balcony collapse was one of Berkeley’s darkest days, but in the aftermath, it has brought us closer together.

“I want to thank the first responders for their heroic response during that fateful night, and to everyone who has been involved in advocating for the creation of improved building codes to prevent such tragedies from happening again," she said.

It was a very moving ceremony at #Berkeley this morning as family, the Irish community & local people paid tribute to the memory of the six students who tragically lost their lives because of a balcony collapse in June 2015. https://t.co/4R0lp2mkAv